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Spook Squad series

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Memory Zero (Spook Squad -1) by Keri Arthur

Memory Zero (Spook Squad #1) by Keri Arthur

Spook Squad series by Keri Arthur

Genres and Sub-Genres[]

Urban Fantasy / SciFi-UF

Series Description or Overview[]

✥ The Spook Squad cleverly mixes urban thriller, paranormal abilities and military cover-ups in an excellent series. For Sam Ryan her memories start at fourteen. Everything before that is missing but as she searches for information about her past it is clear that others will stop at nothing to prevent her unravelling secrets that link to an organisation that plans a war on the human race. As she and shapeshifter Gabriel Stern race the clock their greatest challange becomes staying alive long enough to discover the secrets of Hopeworth, the mystery of Sam's past and just who owns her future. These are typical Keri Arthur gems - tough characters, dangerous choices and thrills galore. ~ Fang  Books

Lead's Species[]

  • Paranormal cop, Unknown species—it's the great mystery of the series

Primary Supe[]

  • Paranormal Police, shape-shifters

What Sets it Apart[]

  • The heroine has no idea what she is and neither does anyone else in this world—as strange unknown powers slowly start to develop. 

Narrative Type and Narrators[]

  • Dual point of views, switch back and forth between Samantha & Gabriel.

Books in Series[]

Spook Squad series:

  1. Memory Zero (2004) — (Aug 26, 2014) (Orig: 2004)
  2. Generation 18 (2004) — (Sept 30, 2014) (Orig: 2004)
  3. Penumbra (2005) — (October 28, 2014) (Orig: 2005)

Shorts, Novellas, Anthologies and Guides[]

Other Series by Keri Arthur[]

World Building[]

Setting[]

Melbourne, Australia — slightly futuristic

Places:

  • Hopeworth: military base—link between a serial killer and a Kite monster;

Supernatural Elements[]

✥ Paranormal cops, shape-shifters, shape-changers, vampires, kites, psychic dream-link, secret government projects, genetic manipulation, clones, , ,

Glossary:[]

  • Kites: scary creatures
  • Race Wars: interspecies war—
  • Shape Changers: ability to take the shape of another person. 
  • Penumbra: secret nefarious project—
  • Generation 18: secret nefarious project—

Groups & Organizations:[]

  • Special Investigations Unit (SIU): part of a covert group called the Federation—Gabriel Stern is an agent.
  • Hopeworth: military base—link between a serial killer and a Kite monster; extremely interested in Sam and her unique biology;
  • Federation: Covert organization in oposition to Sethanon—intersted in Sam and her unique biology.
  • Sethanon: Covert organization in oposition to the Federation—interested in Sam and her unique biology.

World[]

✥ We have a futuristic version of our world—with a lot of new technology that isn’t quite sci-fi level future but is certainly up there. We also have a world with the supernatural very much openly present, has been for some time and uneasily fits into normal, legal society. Which means we have laws and legal structures created around the supernatural to fit them into the real world. We have a large history complete with wars and tension between humanity and the supernaturals. It's a world that is detailed and broad with a large number of creatures, technology, magic and practices all worked in in a way that was believable and worked. It’s huge and rich. There is a slightly-future technology might be seen in the not too distant future and making it fit realistically. ~ Fangs For The Fantasy

✥ Set in Melbourne, Australia the book follows Detective Samantha Ryan after she shoots and kills her partner of 5 years Jack Kazdan. Only he's not really dead. And Sam has been suspended. And...Sam seems to have some special abilities she was not aware of. ~ Goodreads | AH

✥ Sam was called by his missing partner of five years only to find out that it was a trap; that her partner was no longer human, and she was forced to kill him. Then the action just kept going, with Sam being targeted by some bad guys and she must work with Gabriel Stern, the assistant director of the Spook Squad, to stop the plan of war against the human race. ~ Goodreads | Ami

Protagonist[]

✥ Samantha Ryan (Sam): Samantha is a strong ‘kick-arse’ female characters. She stubborn but not stupid, has a mysterious past we’ll learn about, and looks after the innocent. We don’t know what she is, and neither does she. We don’t know what she is, and neither does she. ~ Fang Books

Sam is one that most people would be hard pressed not to like, she's not a smart-ass, she's a stubborn, brave cop. She doesn't look like Gwen on Torchwood, but that's who she reminds me of. Nothing will stop her from getting to the truth, no matter how weird or scary it is. Especially when someone she loves is at risk. ~ Goodreads | Cathy

✥ Gabriel Stern of the Special Investigations Unit, is a part of a covert group called the Federation and also known as Spook Squad. Gabriel is investigating the case and sees that Sam is unique, something that has not been seen in over 50 years. Sam is interested in proving her innocence—and she likes to work alone—just like Gabriel. ~ Goodreads | AH

Gabriel has his family to support him and he will do everything to understand what is happening, even if it should break some rules for that. GR | Melanie

Sidekick[]

  • Name: / What: / Sidekick-to: / About: / Book First Seen:

Characters Chrt[]

Spook Squad Series ~ Shelfari (character lists)

Characters What About
"Sam", Samantha Ryan cop for the Melbourne State Police memories start at fourteen; she doesn't know what she is; 
Gabriel Stern shapeshifter, SIU San's partner; Assistant Director of SIU;
Jack Kazdan missing partner

share a deep friendship; was being recruited by Sethanon; 

Stephan Stern Sam's boss;
Joshua haunts her dreams
Joe ? mysterious guy who drops in every now and then to say mysterious things and then runs off again;

To expand the table, in Edit–Visual mode, right-press on a Row of the table (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add Row or Column. Or, in Source Mode: copy-paste rows.

Keri 4

Author[]

Keri Arthur

The Unofficial Bio: I’m a born and bred Melbourne (Australia) gal, and grew up sharing my life with dragons, elves, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters and the occasional talking horse. Which worried my family to no end. Of course, now that I’m actually make a living sharing my life with the above mentioned creatures, they no longer contemplate calling the men with the little white coat. When not at my keyboard, I can be found at the gym, sitting front of the TV, or taking my two dogs for a walk.

Official Bio: Keri Arthur, author of the NY Times bestselling Riley Jenson Guardian series, has now written more than twenty-eight novels. She’s received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards and has won RT’s Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives with her daughter in Melbourne, Australia.‎ Keri Arthur/about

Cover Artist[]

Ilustration:  Juliana Kolesova — Source: ISFdb / Juliana Kolesova - ISFdb Bibliography

Design: Lynn Andreozzi (source: book copyright page at Amazon)

Awards[]

Publishing Information[]

  • Publishers: Imajinn Books, Dell
  • Author Page:
  • Bk-1: new reprint Paperback, 400 pages, pub: Aug 26, 2014, Dell (Orig: 2004)—ISBN: 044024658X
  • Bk-2: new reprint Paperback, 384 pages, pub: Sept 30th 2014, Dell (Orig: 2004)—ISBN: 0440246598
  • Bk-2: new reprint Paperback, 320 pages, pub: Oct 28th 2014, Dell (Orig: 2005)—ISBN: 0440246601

Book Cover Blurbs[]

✤ BOOK ONE BLURB—Memory Zero (): For Sam Ryan, life began at the age of fourteen. She has no memory of her parents or her past. All she has is a crayon drawing of a woman with the word “Mommy” scrawled underneath in childish handwriting. For the ten years Sam’s been with the State Police, she’s used their resources to search for any clues to her identity. But it’s as if all mention of her family has been deliberately wiped off the system, and no one seems to know why. Everything changes the night she agrees to meet her missing partner, Jack, and barely survives his attempt to kill her. Charged with his murder and suspended from the force, Sam finds herself accepting help from Gabriel Stern–a shapeshifter with secrets of his own. As Sam delves into her partner’s death, she discovers more than she ever bargained for. Because not only is her partner very much alive, but he’s involved in an organization that plans a war on the human race. Worse, someone knows the truth about Sam’s past, and it appears that they’d rather see her dead than have her uncover it. The deeper she digs, the more the danger grows. It soon becomes clear that the key to surviving the present lies in unravelling the threads of her past–and in discovering not just who she is, but what she is.  ~ Goodreads | Memory Zero (Spook Squad, #1)

✤ BOOK TWO BLURB—Generation 18: A serial killer striking every twelve hours. A Kite monster murdering at random. Though neither event seems related, Agents Sam Ryan and Gabriel Stern quickly discover a link between the two-the military base known as Hopeworth. But are the serial killings a military cover-up that has gone dangerously wrong, or is there a deeper, more personal reason behind the murders of the red-headed adoptees? And are the so-called random attacks of the Kites nothing more than a methodical clean-up of a past mistake?As the investigation continues, Sam discovers a connection between herself and the murder victims, a connection that implies a link to Hopeworth itself. But if she is a product of the military, why does Hopeworth appear to know nothing about her? With the killings escalating and the danger drawing closer to home, Sam not only has to battle to bring a killer to justice, but to save Gabriel's life. And the one person who seems to hold the key to what is going on, as well as what has happened in Sam's past, is the mysterious man who saved her life. But does she dare believe his words or the dreams she seems to share with him? Because this mystery man may not be just her enemy, but the enemy of humankind itself. ~ Goodreads | Generation 18: The Spook Squad 2 (#2)

✤ BOOK THREE BLURB—Penumbra: Agent Sam Ryan has had enough. She wants out, and she wants out now. She's sick of putting up with Gabriel's crappy attitude, sick of seeing nothing but paperwork and the inside off her small office. But most of all, she is sick of feeling lonely. It's time to take control and get a life outside of work. But Stephan, the man in charge of the SIU, isn't about to let her go easily. Offered the choice between guarding a clone and probable enemy of the country, or remaining stuck in her shoe box, Sam reluctantly accepts the former, even though she suspects Stephan is using her as bait to draw out the elusive and dangerous Sethanon. Gabriel is relieved to discover he's finally shaken Sam as a partner, until he learns her new assignment is guarding Wetherton, the clone replacement of a government minister. Both he and Stephan know Wetherton could only have come from one place-Hopeworth. The military base has been involved in DNA experiments for decades and was more than likely the place where Sam was created. But there is a growing likelihood that the military base is also the home of Sethanon himself. Determined to protect her, Gabriel is quickly drawn into the mission. All too soon he discovers the connection between he and Sam is far deeper than anyone could ever have imagined. As the assignment begins to unravel around Sam and her past begins to reveal itself in her dreams, she fights to stay alive because the military wants their creation back. And the only person standing between her and them might well be the enemy of all mankind. Goodreads | Penumbra (Spook Squad, #3)

First Sentences[]

  1. Memory Zero (2004) — It was the type of night only the dead could enjoy - as dark as hell, and as warm as the Antartic.
  2. Generation 18 (2004) — Being a Spook wasn't at all what Samantha Ryan had expected.
  3. Penumbra (2005) — Samantha Ryan placed her hand on the front of her boss's desk and said, "I want a transfer, more of your damn excuses."

Quotes[]

Read Alikes (similar elements)[]

See Category links at bottom of page

Awards[]

Trivia[]

Notes[]

Origininally published in 2004. This is a re-release of Arthur's back-list, along with her other backlist series. This one is, however, appears to be incomplete at three books, with not sign of more in the making.

See Also[]

See Category links at bottom of page

External References[]

Books:

World, Characters, etc:

Reviews:

Artist:

Author:

Community and Fan Sites:

Gallery of Book Covers[]

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